The present invention is directed to a head gear apparatus that moves air to cool a caregiver""s head, more particularly to a head gear apparatus that provides the caregiver with a fresh air stream while protecting the caregiver from splashing fluids and other materials during surgery. Still more particularly, the present invention is directed to a head gear apparatus that includes a helmet, a fan, and a surgical garment.
It is known to provide helmets with a fan. See for example U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,402 to Greenough; U.S. Pat. No. 4,136,688 to Gorman; U.S. Pat. No. 5,592,936 to Thomas, Jr. et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,480 to Bare et al. These conventional helmets, however, carry fans that are positioned to lie in a pre-determined position. This position can be uncomfortable for the wearer of the helmet.
It is also known to provide surgical gowns with a pre-determined lengths. See for example U.S. Pat. No. 5,142,704 to Viemeister et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,253,642 to Stackhouse et al.
According to the present invention a head gear apparatus is provided. The apparatus comprises a helmet including a shell configured to rest upon a head of a user and a fan housing movably coupled to the shell, a fan positioned to lie within the fan housing, and a garment. The garment is selectively coupled to the helmet and includes a face shield.
In preferred embodiments, the shell includes a front end, a back end, and an aperture extending between the front and back ends. The fan housing includes guides that extend through the aperture and are movable between the front and back ends to move the fan on the shell. The aperture in the shell is defined by at least one guide track, and the fan housing includes a floor portion with at least one boss that rides along the at least one guide track. Additionally, the helmet further includes a shield that couples to an inner surface of the shell adjacent to the aperture.
Still further, the helmet includes an inner panel spaced-apart from the inner surface of the shell to define a passageway that extends between the inner panel and the inner surface of the shell. Particularly the passageway extends between the fan housing and the front end of the shell. An air duct is also coupled to the fan housing and defines a channel. The air duct is movable with the fan housing on the shell and moves in the passageway to route an air stream toward a user""s face. In addition, the helmet shield mount is positioned to lie adjacent to the front end of the shell that is formed for attachment with the garment.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a head gear apparatus is provided that comprises a helmet that includes a shell configured to rest upon a head of a user and formed to include a front end and a back end, a fan housing coupled to the shell, a fan positioned to lie within the fan housing, and a garment selectively coupled to the helmet.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, a head gear apparatus is provided that comprises a helmet and a garment selectively coupled to the helmet. The garment includes a head portion having a face shield, a front side, and an opposite back side. The front side has a top edge and a bottom edge defining a first normal pre-determined length and a middle portion extending between the top and bottom edges. The back side has a second normal pre-determined length that is less than the normal pre-determined length of the front side. The bottom edge of the front side is folded upon the middle portion and affixed in a folded position so that the front side has a folded length that is generally equal to the second normal pre-determined length of the back side.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.